( GOLDWORK )

Today (NØ) invites you to discover the very traditional technique of goldwork…

Goldwork is a fine and meticulouse technique of needle embroidery traditionally used to attire liturgic, military and royal clothes and objects. Nowadays, it is used in Haute-Couture, luxury watchmaking, design and interior decoration.

Each of the noble materials as the gold and silver threads, the smooth or check purls, the thin leather, the beads and glas tubes, the metallic sequins, the broad plates or the couching threads used in this particular technique are applyed onto the fabric in a specific way.
Historically embroidered on velvet, silk or linen-cotton blends, the modern embroidery can be executed on a larger range of materials (organza, leather, plastic…)

The most important stitches used in goldwork are :
– the couching with the “Point de Boulogne”, to apply one or many threads to thick to pass through the fabric using a thinner thread.
– the satin-stitch, often embroidered on thin felt, cotton threads or cardboard paddings to create relief.
– the stem-stitch and the bullion-stitch.
– the “or nué”, very specific technique used since the Middle-Age, to create shaded backgrounds.
To go back to the basic of embroidery stiches, have a look here et there…

Here are two goldwork embroideries from Violaine Thel’s Portfolio.

That’s already the end of our travel… (NØ) wishes you a nice weekend and hope to see you very soon to continue our bright adventures!

To go further on our journey, below are the website links mentionned on the article:
– L’atelier des Grenadières
– L’atelier du Begonia d’or
– Sarah Homfray